tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65405795554345407972018-03-06T10:20:50.457+03:00go2gilles :) - The Blog about Russia & the CISSome observations I made living in the CIS + the Baltics. Mainly Russia, but also the Baltic States, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and all the other stuff here. Emphasis will be on Moscow and Sankt Petersburg.Gillesnoreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-86953844884480167062011-05-16T23:36:00.005+04:002011-05-16T23:49:19.587+04:00RewardIn Germany the official reward when you find and return something is 3%. In Russia it is 25%. Let's think about this...<div><br />We all have an intrinsic motivation to do the right thing, e.g. to return something that does not belong to us. A reward adds external incentive to the internal motivation to ensures the right thing is really done --&gt; reward substitutes moral.<div><div><br /></div><div>Obviously the German lawmakers consider 3% a reasonable incentive. In Russia 25% is needed. Very interesting, especially considering that this 25% were already used in sovjet (pre-capitalistic) times.<br /><br />Personally I think the 25% are ridiculous high. But then, it explains why people were so surprised when I found in RU their wallets/cells and returned it.<br /><br />Anybody knows, how much rewards are usual in other countries?</div></div></div>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-21068650523627447892011-04-12T22:30:00.001+04:002011-04-12T22:34:13.686+04:00roads and rain<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-71saTDDF5gg/TaSaywz2lKI/AAAAAAAAGdg/KY31fGY9-AI/s1600/110410%2BMoscow%2BStreets%2Bduring%2BRain.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-71saTDDF5gg/TaSaywz2lKI/AAAAAAAAGdg/KY31fGY9-AI/s400/110410%2BMoscow%2BStreets%2Bduring%2BRain.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594766833987523746" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; ">The budget for their 0,9 million kilometer of roads in Russia is higher than the U.S. budget for their 6.5 million kilometer of roads. <div><br /></div><div>Ok, from something the Oligarch have to life and the to send their kids to the private school in Europe. I do understand that all this billionaires and state officials need their share. </div><div><br /></div><div>But can they not even take care for that the streets in the center of their capital are a bit better. Just e.g. african standard? (I was not long ago in Tanzania and the streets are much better).</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-44662249939028357052011-04-05T09:35:00.000+04:002011-04-12T22:42:26.587+04:00Airport Security Check<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QYi-zbUcN54/TaScn76IJ9I/AAAAAAAAGdo/EMtAIH6AClw/s1600/110405_SVOSecurityCheck.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 270px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QYi-zbUcN54/TaScn76IJ9I/AAAAAAAAGdo/EMtAIH6AClw/s320/110405_SVOSecurityCheck.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594768847011325906" /></a><div>7 people operating 1 security gate...</div><div>... as slow as possible :o</div>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-90443362789969252042011-01-06T14:34:00.000+03:002011-04-12T22:46:28.250+04:00Freezing Rain<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8OBOJEv47SY/TaSdnBF8ggI/AAAAAAAAGdw/dr2rGUeyAc8/s200/110106_car%2B%25281%2529.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594769930734830082" /><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yvdrqe_ERJ0/TaSdtt6g5GI/AAAAAAAAGd4/LEwDyY8Z_pw/s200/110106_car%2B%25282%2529.JPG" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594770045845693538" /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GMrd1CckaIs/TaSdyhMujJI/AAAAAAAAGeA/-gOqhNRoOjE/s1600/110106_car%2B%25283%2529.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GMrd1CckaIs/TaSdyhMujJI/AAAAAAAAGeA/-gOqhNRoOjE/s200/110106_car%2B%25283%2529.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594770128331771026" /></a>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-16214436238484068362010-12-14T15:00:00.000+03:002011-04-12T23:00:02.569+04:00unpolite ATM<div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 11px;">The ATM gave me this ... "Your operation was absolutly wrong. Please turn to your bank by use of an offical letter."</span></span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VeoyoihmFZo/TaSgr2fBlHI/AAAAAAAAGeY/xXu8Pk7WGsI/s1600/IMAG0671.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VeoyoihmFZo/TaSgr2fBlHI/AAAAAAAAGeY/xXu8Pk7WGsI/s320/IMAG0671.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594773312321459314" /></a>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-53011795814510880242010-12-13T14:02:00.000+03:002011-04-12T22:50:46.048+04:00Beauty & Deadly - 101 ways to die in SPB<div>all shots done during one drive from the center to the airport out of the cap...</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C8ZErIjbz40/TaSe2Xy5DJI/AAAAAAAAGeI/nvmJ1gUuHlc/s1600/101213_101WayToDieInSPBs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C8ZErIjbz40/TaSe2Xy5DJI/AAAAAAAAGeI/nvmJ1gUuHlc/s400/101213_101WayToDieInSPBs.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594771294038592658" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-60568781926782217642010-08-27T11:50:00.000+04:002011-04-12T22:54:40.578+04:00Botox to go<div><br /></div><div>Also Germany can be a strange place... seen in Berlin</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8jQmVhhPztY/TaSftPro9yI/AAAAAAAAGeQ/X-kyonHSPIE/s1600/100826_BotoxToGo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8jQmVhhPztY/TaSftPro9yI/AAAAAAAAGeQ/X-kyonHSPIE/s320/100826_BotoxToGo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594772236753499938" /></a>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-89635702379264676632010-07-12T15:27:00.003+04:002010-07-12T22:10:45.508+04:00History repeating<span style=" FONT-WEIGHT:Normal;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Out of a textbook about the history of Russia:<br /><br />'... by the end of the 19th century, a cult of modernization had arisen that justified any action...'<br />(the harvest of sorrow, Robert Conquest, 1986, Oxford University Press, p 17)<br /></span></span><div><span style=" FONT-WEIGHT:Normal;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />Sounds somehow familiar, doesn't it?!<br /><br /></span><br /></span></div>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-61358455599476817052010-07-03T15:33:00.002+04:002010-07-03T15:35:27.862+04:00Fail - caged car<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/TC8gEnRT3cI/AAAAAAAAF3A/TpFTNfjn6LA/s1600/IMAG0555-718785.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/TC8gEnRT3cI/AAAAAAAAF3A/TpFTNfjn6LA/s320/IMAG0555-718785.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489641734421077442" /></span></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This morning they installed posts so cars can't block the sidewalk anymore. </span></span></p><p class="mobile-photo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Big fail, that they caged one car behind the posts ;)</span></span></p><span style=" FONT-WEIGHT:Normal;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"></span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-3004581880408844592010-06-01T12:40:00.000+04:002010-07-03T15:41:31.552+04:00a unique moment...<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/TC8hjE4iwjI/AAAAAAAAF3I/rMm6xwxkUNg/s1600/IMAG0431-796555.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/TC8hjE4iwjI/AAAAAAAAF3I/rMm6xwxkUNg/s320/IMAG0431-796555.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489643357277962802" /></span></a></p><div class="gmail_quote"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_quote"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">heavy turbulence, people fasten their seat belts, food is flying through the air.<br />next to me the stewardesses take their seats, pick up the security introductions and start to read it very carefully...</span></span></div><div class="gmail_quote"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />... comforting</span></span></div>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-85729126314996477572010-05-11T06:59:00.001+04:002010-07-12T22:13:22.864+04:00reading does help in fact :)<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/TC8hqLc0k0I/AAAAAAAAF3Q/D19GYpNGyJI/s1600/LiftOutOfOrder-724184.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/TC8hqLc0k0I/AAAAAAAAF3Q/D19GYpNGyJI/s320/LiftOutOfOrder-724184.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489643479299822402" /></a></p><div class="gmail_quote"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">understanding Estonian or Russian can be an asset...</span></span></div> <div class="gmail_quote"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><br /></span></span> </div>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-15994389890954680292010-05-02T01:38:00.001+04:002010-07-03T15:30:32.597+04:00Tanks in Moscow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/TC8c6MmsQCI/AAAAAAAAF24/CRvnzmSAX_k/s320/2010+0429_PanzerInMoskau_s-708119.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/TC8c6MmsQCI/AAAAAAAAF24/CRvnzmSAX_k/s320/2010+0429_PanzerInMoskau_s-708119.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><p class="mobile-photo"><br /></p>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-7340463703013540492010-03-15T17:28:00.001+03:002010-07-03T15:26:40.764+04:00this(!) is the airport (to plane) shuttle in Arkhangels<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/S55ErUS8PNI/AAAAAAAAFxc/rvZrgby4GBI/s1600-h/IMAG0223-769260.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/S55ErUS8PNI/AAAAAAAAFxc/rvZrgby4GBI/s320/IMAG0223-769260.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448868110138096850" /></a></p><span style=" FONT-WEIGHT:Normal;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">...oh s**t....</span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-5725463105979474062010-03-10T13:26:00.001+03:002010-07-03T15:32:02.574+04:00ATM expired<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/S5d0QT_PPRI/AAAAAAAAFxI/x3ZyY-AfkiE/s1600-h/IMAG0194-796857.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/S5d0QT_PPRI/AAAAAAAAFxI/x3ZyY-AfkiE/s320/IMAG0194-796857.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446950097920146706" /></span></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/S5d0Q-N5MRI/AAAAAAAAFxQ/8ArOoLrm8GE/s1600-h/IMAG0193-798912.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/S5d0Q-N5MRI/AAAAAAAAFxQ/8ArOoLrm8GE/s320/IMAG0193-798912.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446950109255905554" /></span></a></p><span style=" FONT-WEIGHT:Normal;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Why I see this kind of stuff all the time in Russia?! :)</span></span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-9505664515493827212010-01-24T15:24:00.001+03:002010-07-03T15:26:01.914+04:00discipline<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/S1w9wym5KHI/AAAAAAAAFvs/ii2B9CNzPu4/s1600-h/IMAG0034-723245.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/S1w9wym5KHI/AAAAAAAAFvs/ii2B9CNzPu4/s320/IMAG0034-723245.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430283159129892978" /></a></p><span style=" FONT-WEIGHT:Normal;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I was quite surprised to see in a parking lot special lots for handicaped persons.<br /><br />I wasn't surprised to see that people gave a s**t and anyway parked.<br /><br />Still the lady parking her new car accross two lots for disabled persons<br />As a Russian parlamentarian put it not long ago in an interview. 'Our society is not disciplined enough, as that we introduced laws as sophisticated as in Europe/USA'.<br /><br />I am pretty sure that is true :)<br /></span><br /></span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-41131567377882156962009-11-27T21:41:00.002+03:002009-12-10T20:51:35.676+03:00Luxus and Germans:)<p class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SxAdRJFnd0I/AAAAAAAAFmc/3-vUVNn5Lu8/s1600/IMAG0690-768772.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SxAdRJFnd0I/AAAAAAAAFmc/3-vUVNn5Lu8/s320/IMAG0690-768772.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408855332806424386" border="0" /></a></span></p><span style="font-weight: normal;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >See in the picture an advertisment for a luxuary brand in Germany in a very liberal city (Freiburg). As you can see the they didn't evern bother to use German in it...<br /><br />Instead the target group for 'luxus' are Russians and Arabic tourists.</span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-16061351349837409962009-09-03T07:20:00.002+04:002009-09-03T10:34:40.787+04:00Potemkin villagesso, President Medvedev was next to my place a few days ago. In a result they re-painted the bridge close by.<br />Of course, why to do things proper, when you can do it quick and dirty?! After all Mr. Medvedev will not leave his car to check the construction work, right.<br /><br />So they just went with black color over the balustrade, not removing all the dirt, dust and old layers of similar procedures in the past.<br /><br />The term "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potemkin_village">Potemkin villag</a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/Sp9ivQdZuwI/AAAAAAAAEWg/fql4FVXhQRA/s1600-h/090803Probki_+%2810%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/Sp9ivQdZuwI/AAAAAAAAEWg/fql4FVXhQRA/s320/090803Probki_+%2810%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377125044115323650" border="0" /></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potemkin_village">es</a>" (odd enough, exists in a lot of languages) goes back to an incident that happend in the 19th century in Russia.<br /><br />So I assume we can conclude this is no bungling. The workers just uphold a beloved tradition :o)Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-86376598116540546432009-09-03T07:12:00.002+04:002009-09-03T09:58:23.453+04:00back to normal chaosso, this was Moscow city (around the red square) beween 9 pm and 10 pm.<br />holiday are over, traffic jams are back on...<br /><br />Imagine you leave the office at 9 pm, have to go 05 km to you family and face this. This and worse is bitter reality for most of the people.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/Sp9a26iBGZI/AAAAAAAAEWY/RHS-ZB-82Y8/s1600-h/090803Probki_collage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 231px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/Sp9a26iBGZI/AAAAAAAAEWY/RHS-ZB-82Y8/s320/090803Probki_collage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377116379575032210" border="0" /></a>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-74158260019302182222009-08-28T20:48:00.000+04:002009-12-10T20:49:40.854+03:00Hammer....<p class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SxAQ5KVWRvI/AAAAAAAAFmU/s9kARLfSomQ/s1600/IMAG0559_-700029.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SxAQ5KVWRvI/AAAAAAAAFmU/s9kARLfSomQ/s320/IMAG0559_-700029.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408841726684448498" border="0" /></a></span></p><span style="font-weight: normal;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />The good old Hammer SUV if for me the classic symbol for an odd mix out of decadency and freud'sche desire to compensate something.<br /><br />Thus I love-hate in the Hammer stretch limousines driving around in Moscow.<br /><br />Recently I had a classic. At the red traffic light suddenly such a stretch Hammer appeared on my left and right lane. When they overtook me on both side I had the strange feeling of beeing overtaken by a tunnel :) </span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-16058175801910239662009-08-26T08:44:00.006+04:002009-09-03T09:52:12.914+04:00borders of Russia / DemographicsLast question in the Radio to a leader of the opposition:<br />(which said overall a lot of smart and democratic stuff in the interview.)<br /><br />Moderator: 'In what borders do you see Russia'<br /><br />Opposition leader: 'UDSSR minus the Baltics States'<br /><br />Puh, and this is the liberal, democratic opposition…..<br />Together with some recent Russian legislation and statements I have a gut feeling that there will be more conflicts like the Georgian - Russian one (2008) in the next decade.<br /><br />It’s not a question of the Russia government. It’s a question how the Russian people understand themselves and how they see their neighbors and other countries. I face myself all the time (as German) a Russian legislation that is horribly xenophobic. It is much harder to get a proper legal status in Russia as a German then it is the other way around. (Honestly, at least 10 times harder and 30 times more expensive.). Then consider that the Germans in Moscow gain and behave different than some(!) of the Russians in Germany (social wellfare, mafia, …)<br /><br />Great perspective for a country that is supposed to loose 30% of the population till 2050. And this is not not a speculation, it is a fact. It’s just a simple counting as that who lives in 2050 is already born today.<br /><br />here some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Russia">facts</a>...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/Sp9ZWi_JIPI/AAAAAAAAEWI/cJqJKeTy-6M/s1600-h/800px-Natural_Population_Growth_Trends_in_Russia.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 127px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/Sp9ZWi_JIPI/AAAAAAAAEWI/cJqJKeTy-6M/s200/800px-Natural_Population_Growth_Trends_in_Russia.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377114723987300594" border="0" /></a>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-26731443280286129562009-08-22T17:45:00.006+04:002009-08-22T18:02:42.708+04:00Copyright<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/So_2glabogI/AAAAAAAAEVg/-mP9S2WtvfE/s1600-h/090822_Win7_Russia-738274.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/So_2glabogI/AAAAAAAAEVg/-mP9S2WtvfE/s320/090822_Win7_Russia-738274.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372783920135512578" border="0" /></a></p><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />So, the new Microsoft Windows will go on sales in two month. User and manufactures are eagerly anticipating it. Some beta version made it into to P2P network (illegal downloads) with all the usual outcry in media. <br />The clock is ticking till the first version of Microsoft Windows 7 will be available for the public....<br />...pffft..forget it in Russia.<br /><br />I had today a walk in a big Moscow shopping mall. There are at least three version of the new Windows 7 on sale. Professional cracked, labeled and sold. (Picture attached)<br />Hip Hip Hurray for the copyright in Russia.<br /><br />This looks like a small things. But despite of illegal downloads this is a lot of money. Real money, huge money. People don't see at, as that the the music and movie industries labels illegal download as big money. But this is "virtual" money they could have been sold, if every<br />download would be a real sale. (What is of course stupid). But all this thousand of shops in Russia which sales illegal copies makes real sales. 20 euro an an disk they produced for maybe 10 cent. <br />Pretty good business, isn't it? Of course, this business is illegal, demands good connections and organization. Who could offer this set of features? ....Right, organized crime. So the Mafia make there a lot money they re-invested in real ugly stuff (trafficing, drugs,...)<br /><br />As you may know the Russian government just decided to send the WTO plans to hell. Not sure the motives were entirely altruistic :)<br />Some 153 countries out there consider it to be a good things to be a WTO member. Probably it would have been a good thing for most people in Russia too. Of course, not for all (e.g. people producing illegal DVDs and of course the steel producing companies.)<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br /></span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-42153263505527691192009-07-21T15:36:00.002+04:002009-07-21T15:40:08.212+04:00Reputation <div style="display: block;" id="previewbody"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CGilles%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:2.0cm 42.5pt 2.0cm 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">So, I called a hotline in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region> to rent a car. When the hotline guy asked me for a contact I told him it will be a Russian number.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Hotline guy: <span style=""> </span>"oh, wow… can I can ask you something personally"<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">I: "please, go ahead"<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">He: <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>"Does it make sense to go to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region> to... you know… take a look at the girls They are supposed to be amazing!”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Actually after another 5 minutes I convinced him to go at least also to Sankt Petersburg to enjoy a bit of culture. He agreed after I ensured him that the girls will not be worse than in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Moscow</st1:city></st1:place>. This is what I call a reputation! And it was not the first time. Once a guy came up to me with the same questions on a German parking lot right on the highway.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:country-region st="on"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Russia</span></st1:country-region><span style="" lang="EN-US"> culture is deeply underestimated in <st1:place st="on">Europe</st1:place>, Russian girls are definitely not.</span></p></div>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-9065438805306998702009-06-29T19:48:00.001+04:002009-07-02T09:00:11.292+04:00How much spaces needs my car?<p class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SkjidHk4VqI/AAAAAAAAESg/VaSk550AKOM/s1600-h/IMAG0357e-748474.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SkjidHk4VqI/AAAAAAAAESg/VaSk550AKOM/s320/IMAG0357e-748474.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352777147007653538" border="0" /></a></span></p><span style="font-weight: normal;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Picture 1<br />Clearly more ==> you can't fit two cars and one truck on one lane<br /><br /></span><p class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SkjidZW4aSI/AAAAAAAAESo/I4le-rQ8UUM/s1600-h/IMAG0358e-749479.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SkjidZW4aSI/AAAAAAAAESo/I4le-rQ8UUM/s320/IMAG0358e-749479.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352777151780776226" border="0" /></a></span></p><span style="font-weight: normal;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Picture 2<br />Clearly less ==> there could park at least three cars more, if the yet parking people wouldn't have prefered to be able to completely open their door after parking<br /><br />Both pictures made within 5 minutes on Moscow roads.</span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com267tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-14023979861214619602009-06-25T20:36:00.001+04:002009-07-02T08:57:16.653+04:00in the middle of nowhere<p class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SkOoBIUVasI/AAAAAAAAERU/lZZ15t-J9ZA/s1600-h/IMAG0316-708447.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SkOoBIUVasI/AAAAAAAAERU/lZZ15t-J9ZA/s320/IMAG0316-708447.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351305519612390082" border="0" /></a></span></p><span style="font-weight: normal;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Some smaller cities in Russia have pretty funny airports. You arrive and just w-a-l-k straight out of the plane to the parking lot.<br />No bus, no terminal, not even an arrival hall.<br /><br />You leave the airport area via a gate in the surrounding fence. For luggage there is usually some barrack (with shattered windows).<br /><br /></span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6540579555434540797.post-64300332734211694102009-06-24T21:30:00.001+04:002009-06-26T07:06:32.170+04:00Supermarket in the region<p style="font-family: arial;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SkJjIXYj3aI/AAAAAAAAERE/hZWJfr6fJ6o/s1600-h/IMAG0323-737137.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SkJjIXYj3aI/AAAAAAAAERE/hZWJfr6fJ6o/s320/IMAG0323-737137.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350948302636703138" border="0" /></a></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SkJjIn0yTlI/AAAAAAAAERM/44moHUPrOh4/s1600-h/IMAG0326-738218.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1qI-Ui6ROTI/SkJjIn0yTlI/AAAAAAAAERM/44moHUPrOh4/s320/IMAG0326-738218.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350948307050057298" border="0" /></a></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Privet,<br /><br />So, I am somewhere between Ural, Sibiria and Kazaksthan.<br />The small town is pretty amazing, clean, good repairs, high quality roads and buildings.<br />Way better than what you see in central Russia, e.g. Moscow.<br /><br />Not the first time I observe this. I assume it's because the 'Intelligencija' was deported during the Stalin Terror to Sibiria.<br />Not to forget all the Germans sent here. (Even most of them life now in Germany)<br /><br />However entering an overall nice and clean supermarkte I realized the problem of these regions... shelfes over shelfes filled with Vodka. (In Moscow this would be beer already).<br /><br />See pictures<br /><br />Cheers :(<br /></span>Gillesnoreply@blogger.com0